The magnificent Cincinnati Cobra - SuperSport - Boxing The magnificent Cincinnati Cobra Tweet A war, the tragic death of an opponent and circumstances that forced him to fight much bigger men were some of the obstacles in the magnificent career of Ezzard Charles. Nearly invincible as a light heavyweight, Charles fought the great Rocky Marciano, Jersey Joe Walcott, Joey Maxim and many outstanding heavyweights of his time. He won 96 of his 122 bouts – 58 inside the distance – lost 25 and drew one. And, almost belatedly, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. His story, like those of many other greats, ended sadly but it remains a story of courage, talent and triumph. Ezzard Charles was born on July 7, 1921 in a small town of Lawrenceville, Georgia. The family later moved to Cincinnati, where young Ezzard developed into the state’s only world heavyweight champion. There, in the city nicknamed The Queen City of the West in Longfellow’s Catawba Wine, an 1854 poem about Cincinati, Charles began boxing as a skinny 14-year-old.

As an amateur, he won both the Diamond belt and AAU welterweight titles. The next year he retained those titles and won a Golden Gloves title. In 1939, fighting at middleweight, he won those three titles again and added the AAU title, which he retained in 1940. Charles had 42 fights as an amateur and won them all before turning professional in March 1940. He quickly reeled off a dozen victories, ten of which inside the distance. He took his winning streak to 20 before losing on points to former world middleweight champion Ken Overlin in June 1941. In 1942, the year he turned 21, Charles hit the big time. In January that year he knocked out former world light heavyweight champion Anton Christoforidis in the third round. He then twice won on points against Charley Burley, who was rated by experts as one of the greats in the middleweight division. He also beat future world light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim on points twice. With the Second World War still raging, Charles joined the army. During the next three years, he had only two fights, both in 1943.

Having done little training, he lost on points to Jimmy Bivins and was stopped in eight by Lloyd Marshall. After the war, Charles returned to the ring as a light heavyweight. In February 1946, he stopped Al Sheriden in two rounds. He finished the year with nine more victories, including a points win over the legendary Archie Moore. In 1947, Charles once again defeated Moore and then lost a questionable decision to Elmer Ray on his New York debut. Putting this setback behind him, Charles racked up wins over Joe Matisi, Lloyd Marshall, Al Smith, Clarence Jones, Teddy Randolph and Fitzie Fitzpatrick. Then, in 1948, he knocked out Moore. Charles was ranked No 1 light heavyweight in the world by Ring Magazine, whose ratings were the only ones acknowledged at the time. However, the champion, Gus Lesnevich, would have nothing to do with Charles who then had to fight heavyweights to keep active. Charles, known as the “Cincinnati Cobra”, lost much of his venom in 1948. He knocked out Sam Baroudi in the tenth round in Chicago on February 20 and Baroudi died a few days later.

Even though Charles continued fighting and still knocked out opponents – he even stopped heavyweight Joe Baksi – he would pull back and wait for the referee to stop a fight. In 1949 he outpointed Joey Maxim over 15 rounds in an eliminator to meet Jersey Joe Walcott for the vacant National Boxing Association heavyweight title. Joe Louis, the world heavyweight champion, retired as undefeated heavyweight champion in March 1949. On June 22 that year, Charles beat Walcott on points over 15 rounds to win the vacant title, which was recognised only by the NBA. He defended the NBA version of the title against Lesnevich, Pat Valentino and Freddie Beshore before beating Louis, who had made a comeback, on September 27, 1950. That brought him international recognition. He defended and retained the title against Nick Barone, Lee Oma, Walcott and Maxim before meeting Walcott for the third time on July 18, 1951. For the first six rounds, Charles was in complete control. Then, in the seventh, he walked into one of the best left hooks ever thrown in boxing and he was champion no more.

Charles returned to beat Rex Layne, Maxim and Joe Kahut before challenging Walcott for the heavyweight championship in June 1952. This time he lost on a disputed decision. He won another 11 fights out of 14 before he was given another opportunity to regain his title. He had to fight Rocky Marciano at the Yankee Stadium on June 17, 1954, only three weeks before his 34th birthday. Against all expectations, Charles went 15 gruelling, closely contested rounds with Marciano. A rematch was arranged. They had to fight again only three months later, which was not enough time for Charles to recover from the battering his body took in the first fight. Marciano handed Charles a brutal beating, but not before a left hook had split the champion’s nose right to the bone. Marciano stopped Charles just before the fight could be ended because of the injury. Charles continued fighting, mainly because of financial problems, and had another 23 fights. But he should have quit after that defeat because he had become just another opponent. He lost his last fight, to Alvin Greene, in Oklahoma City on September 1, 1959.

After his boxing career, he tried several jobs. He was a safety inspector for the state of Ohio and then a bouncer at a Northern Kentucky nightclub. He even resorted to professional wrestling, using the name "Cincinnati Cobra". Charles later returned to Chicago. In 1967, when he was working for Youth Welfare, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Gehrig’s Disease. He spent his last years in a wheelchair and completely lost his speech. Ezzard Charles died in Chicago on May 27, 1975 and was buried in the Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. Baroudi’s death affected him badly and he also spent three of his best years in the army. Had it not been for these factors, he might have been recognised as one of the all-time greats. Ezzard Charles: The Cincinnati Cobra | ArtWorks Cincinnati Donate Ezzard Charles: The Cincinnati Cobra Ezzard Charles, known as the “Cincinnati Cobra”, was a two-time World Heavyweight Champion, jazz musician and widely respected citizen of Cincinnati.

Born in Georgia in 1921, Charles came to Cincinnati at the age of nine to live with his grandmother and great-grandmother in the West End. He began boxing as a teenager and quickly ascended the world of prize fighting, culminating with a heavyweight title against Jersey Joe Walcott in 1949, followed by an undisputed title over the legendary Joe Louis in 1950. He largely avoided the limelight of his profession, and worked quietly all his life to promote education and community responsibility. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. This mural, completed in August 2015, marks ArtWorks’ 100th mural completed since the program launch in 2007.

Designer A Name From History: Ezzard Charles, one of the greatest boxers ever, to become part of cityscape - Insider - Story A Name From History: Ezzard Charles, one of the greatest boxers ever, to become part of cityscape Three story mural being painted by ArtWorks Brent Coleman, WCPO Contributor 4:02 AM, Jun 24, 2015 5:35 AM, Jun 24, 2015 Ezzard Charles learned to box in Cincinnati and made it his home during his 19-year professional boxing career. Photo courtesy of boxingnewsonline.net Copyright 2015 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Show Caption Next CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati’s first world boxing champion is making a comeback this summer. ArtWorks public art program participants will paint a mural of the legendary Ezzard Charles (1921-1975) on the side of a three-story brick building at 1537 Republic St. in Over-the-Rhine.

Charles reigned as world heavyweight champion for 16 months after he defeated Jersey Joe Wolcott on June 22, 1949. A precise practitioner of punching, Charles fought for more heavyweight titles than any fighter except Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Joe Louis. There’s no counting the number of punches that hit the head and midsection of Ezzard Mack Charles in his 42 amateur and 122 professional fights. Known as “The Cincinnati Cobra,” Charles endured shots from great boxers such as Louis, Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore and Jersey Joe Walcott because he wanted to be the heavyweight champion. And from June 22, 1949 to July 18, 1951 he was on top of the boxing world. Life after that, however, wasn’t the same. When he died at age 53, Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS) had robbed him of almost everything. Become a WCPO Insider to read more about Ezzard Charles, the first heavyweight boxing champion of the world from Cincinnati. A Why are you charging for WCPO Insider? View all offers → There's more to the story when you become an Insider.

WCPO Insider brings you in-depth local coverage and access to national news with a subscription to the Washington Post. Your money supports an exceptional team of journalists committed to shining a light on important issues in our region. We’re building a community of people who care about quality journalism. On top of premium coverage you get exclusive access to handpicked events, and savings on things you love to do. Find out more here . A Name From History: Ezzard Charles, one of the greatest boxers ever, to become part of cityscape Three story mural being painted by ArtWorks Brent Coleman, WCPO Contributor 4:02 AM, Jun 24, 2015 5:35 AM, Jun 24, 2015 Share Article Ezzard Charles learned to box in Cincinnati and made it his home during his 19-year professional boxing career. Photo courtesy of boxingnewsonline.net Copyright 2015 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Show Caption Next CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati’s first world boxing champion is making a comeback this summer.

ArtWorks public art program participants will paint a mural of the legendary Ezzard Charles (1921-1975) on the side of a three-story brick building at 1537 Republic St. in Over-the-Rhine. Charles reigned as world heavyweight champion for 16 months after he defeated Jersey Joe Wolcott on June 22, 1949. A precise practitioner of punching, Charles fought for more heavyweight titles than any fighter except Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Joe Louis. 'Cincinnati Cobra' Fought 164 Times There’s no counting the number of punches that hit the head and midsection of Ezzard Mack Charles in his 42 amateur and 122 professional fights. Known as "The Cincinnati Cobra," Charles endured shots from great boxers such as Louis, Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore and Jersey Joe Walcott because he wanted to be the heavyweight champion. And from June 22, 1949 to July 18, 1951, he was on top of the boxing world. Life after that, however, wasn’t the same.

When he died at age 53, Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS) had robbed him of almost everything. "At the end he could not move his hands and he lived in a wheelchair," wrote Cincinnati Post Sports Editor Pat Harmon on the day Charles died. "But, friends said, he could move some of his facial muscles, and he always had a smile on his face when visitors called." Charles was beloved by Cincinnatians, who had 32 chances to watch the smooth, tactical fighter work his magic in local arenas such as Music Hall and Crosley Field. He was active in the community, an accomplished jazz musician and could speak Spanish and Italian fluently. The city so loved Charles that, upon his death, its leaders changed the name of Lincoln Park Drive in the West End to Ezzard Charles Drive. Hamilton County inducted him into its Sports Hall of Fame in 1967. Georgia Native Known As 'Snooks' Charles was born in Lawrenceville, Ga., on July 7, 1921. Census records show he lived with his grandmother, Belle Russell, and two cousins in Gwinnett County when he was eight.

Ten years later, the 1940 Census recorded him living with another grandmother, Maude Foster, and his cousin, Louis Foster. Charles, whose childhood nickname was "Snooks," attended school in Cincinnati and learned to box in the Diamond Gloves program and later the Golden Gloves and AAU tournaments, according to Harmon. He won various welterweight and middleweight championships as an amateur. Charles turned professional in 1940, the year he turned 19. He fought 42 times, posting a 37-4-1 record, before serving 16 months in the Army during World War II. Charles resumed boxing in February 1946 and won his next 15 fights. A fight-by-fight record on the website boxrec.com shows that Music Hall, which stands just blocks from where Charles grew up, was where he fought most often early in his career. He had a 23-1-1 record there. Those wins included an impressive victory over Archie Moore, who went on to be the longest reigning light heavyweight champion in boxing history.

According to an Associated Press account of the May 5, 1947 fight posted on boxrec.com, "Charles floored Moore for nine (count) in the seventh (from a left hook to the body) and slowed him to a walk for the rest of the way.” Charles went on to beat Moore two more times. The year 1948 was a rough one for Charles. He fought 20-year-old Sam Baroudi on Feb. 20 in Chicago Stadium, and the younger but experienced man put up a good fight. The United Press reported that "The bout ended when Charles connected with three savage blows to the head that straightened Baroudi out of his crouch. A hard left to the midsection sent him to the canvas." Baroudi fell to the floor in a coma and died of a brain hemorrhage in a Chicago hospital five hours later. A brain surgeon who examined Baroudi said the knockout blows which felled him 47 seconds into the final round caused the hemorrhage. Baroudi’s death did not slow Charles’ career, but it "stayed with him as though his own shadow," wrote boxing.com reporter Clarence George.

Top Contenders Fights For Louis' Title When reigning heavyweight champion Joe Louis retired in 1949, Charles, even though he fought as light heavyweight for almost all of his career, had earned the right to fight for the vacated title against Jersey Joe Walcott in Chicago's Comiskey Park. The 180-pound Charles won in a close fight and defended his title six times, including beating Louis in his comeback attempt. Charles’ 1951 rematch with Walcott was closer than the first fight, Harmon wrote, but he won. After that, "Charles went about his business, making seven successful defenses of his crown, before the managers, Tom Tannas and Jake Mintz from Pittsburgh, made their mistake. They matched Charles with Walcott again.” This time, Walcott knocked Charles out in the eighth round, and although he got a rematch with Walcott and two more shots at the title against Marciano, Charles never wore a championship belt again. "After he lost the title," Harmon wrote, "he said 'What I miss most of all is walking around the neighborhood in Cincinnati and not having the little kids run up and call me Champ.'" Charles fought 32 times in Cincinnati as a professional.

His last local fight took place at a school in Lincoln Heights. Charles was 38 years old and weighed the most he had ever weighed for a fight, 261 pounds, according to boxrec.com.He, nevertheless, defeated policeman David Ashley in a technical knockout. A story in the Spokane Daily chronicle said the “blubbery” ex-champ was paid "a few hundred bucks." The Cincinnati Cobra lost his two last bouts and retired after 19 years as a professional boxer. His only son, Ezzard Charles II told the Gwinnett Daily News in 2010 that his father rarely spoke of his boxing career, preferring instead to focus on the future. Quiet But Constructive Life After Retirement Charles, who had three children, worked several jobs after the end of his boxing days, according to the Cincinnati Historical Library and Archives' website, library.cincymuseum.org. He was a safety inspector for the State of Ohio and then a bouncer at a Northern Kentucky nightclub. He tried professional wrestling using the name "Cincinnati Cobra." He moved to Chicago and in 1967 was working for Youth Welfare.

According to the Post, the Ezzard Charles School, which uses the Montessori Method, opened in Chicago’s south side. Today, it serves as a daycare center and school for young children of low-income families. Charles died on morning of May 28, 1975 and was buried at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Ill. That very day, the Post’s Harmon wrote this about Charles: "Charles was a sharp boxer who cut and slashed his opponents. … He was kept in action long past his prime in an effort to get back in the limelight. … He had the finest attitude of any man I ever met in sport." Charles was inducted posthumously into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He was ranked No. 27 on ESPN's list of the all-time greatest boxers of all weights, ahead of the likes of Roberto Duran, Larry Holmes, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Oscar de la Hoya, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Rob Pilger, a boxing historian, former fighter and boxing trainer in Columbus ranked Charles No. 5 on his list of the all-time pound-for-pound best boxers.

Wrote Pilger in 2010: "Ezzard Charles could display the sweet science at its finest. He would feint, slip, roll, counter, do it all. To some, he may have been dull. But those who understood boxing see him as a true artist. Many believe Ezzard to be the best light heavyweight ever, although he never won a title there." Copyright 2015 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Boxing Nicknames - Boxing New Boxing Nicknames SecondsOut.com - By John Wharton: Many people will agree, a nickname is easy to come by but difficult to shrug off...just ask ‘Skidmark Mooney’ from my junior school days. In sport, however, a nickname can encapsulate just who you are and what you do, and one sport in which it is seemingly essential to have one is boxing. Some nicknames are meant to make an opponent tremble; others are less intimidating but nonetheless represent what kind of fighter you are.

Nicknames were a part of the game pre-Queensberry Rules, and one of the most famous champions of that era was William ‘Bendigo’ Thompson. The nickname came about because of his middle-name, Abednego, and his other nickname, ‘Bendy’, due to the agile nature of his boxing stance. This evolved into ‘Bendigo’. Another colourful character from that era was John ‘Old Smoke’ Morrissey, who was a member of one of New York’s Five Points famous gangs, the Dead Rabbits. Morrissey earned his nickname during a fight with a rival gang member Tom McCann. Morrissey found himself pinned on his back on top of a pile of burning coals left by an overturned stove. Morrissey managed to overpower McCann and beat him senseless, despite the agony and the smoke rising up from his burned back. 1867 saw the introduction of the Queensbury Rules, and the use of nicknames continued. John L Sullivan, the first heavyweight champion, had the nickname ‘The Boston Strong Boy’, and the man who eventually dethroned him, James J Corbett, was known as ‘Gentleman Jim’ due to his rumoured college education.

The difference in personality between the two men could not have been wider. Sullivan was reputed to be a racist who refused to fight black fighters, and he certainly did refuse to give Commonwealth Champion Peter Jackson a title shot. Corbett, meanwhile, fought Jackson to a 61 round draw in 1891. This was the era of the Jim Crow Laws in the USA, and boxing was no different. The nicknames reflected this less tolerant age and Jackson himself was known as ‘The Black Prince’. Canadian heavyweight Sam Langford was known by the abhorrent nickname of ‘The Boston Tar Baby’ and nicknames of this ilk continued into the 20th century with ‘The Brown Bomber’ - former heavyweight champion Joe Louis - and ‘The Dark Destroyer’ - world middle and super middleweight champion Nigel Benn. The 1930’s and 1940’s was a golden era, with boxers such as Joe Louis, Ray Robinson, Archie Moore, and Henry Armstrong all fighting regularly. In this time before TV, boxing was broadcast on the radio, and the era is defined by the unmistakable tones of Don Dunphy.

Dunphy’s commentary was so rich and detailed that you could smell the smoke and sweat, and feel the punches as they landed. If it was a golden era for the sport, it was also a golden era for boxing writing. The greats AJ Liebling and Bud Schulberg were plying their trade, and so in many ways it is fitting this era gave us some of the greatest boxing nicknames of all time. Henry Armstrong, a fighter who held three world titles at the same time - featherweight, lightweight and welterweight - had the intimidating and apt nickname of ‘Homicide Hank’ as he had knocked out 101 of his 150 victims. The great Willie Pep, with his classy and slick style, earned himself the nickname of ‘Will O’ The Wisp’, and in one fight Pep won a round without landing a single punch. Boxing in those days was not the complicated, jumbled mess it is now - nowadays, there are seventeen divisions and upwards of seventy world champions, but back then there were only eight weight divisions and eight world champions. Nicknames served to set a fighter apart from his rivals.

Walker Smith of Detroit became Ray Robinson when he tried to enter a boxing tournament at the age of fourteen and was told he needed to be sixteen to acquire an Amateur Athletic Union Card. Smith overcame this obstacle by borrowing his friend Ray Robinson’s card, and a few years later his future manager George Gainford Smith Junior would complete the name when he told young Robinson that his style was ‘as sweet as sugar’ – boxing was given one of its most iconic nicknames and a legend was born. Robinson’s nemesis, Jake La Motta, had the nickname ‘The Bronx Bull’ due to his aggressive fighting style. In one fight with Robinson, on 14th February 1951, he was stopped in round 13, beaten so badly that many boxing writers refer to the fight as the St Valentine’s Day Massacre. The fight was immortalised in the movie ‘Raging Bull’, and when referee Frank Sikora stepped in to stop the fight La Motta reputedly said to Robinson ‘you never put me down Ray!’ Some nicknames were less inspired - former middleweight champion Rocky Graziano took the obvious nickname of ‘Rock’.

A man whom he fought three times - former steel worker Tony Zale from Gary, Indiana - took the more creative nickname of ‘The Man of Steel’. Archie Moore, the light heavyweight world champion who fought both Rocky Marciano and Cassius Clay, had the nickname ‘The Mongoose’, due to the speed of his reflexes. Heavyweights of the 1950’s and 1960’s have also provided us with some colourful nicknames. Ezzard Charles was known as ‘The Cincinnati Cobra’, whilst Rocky Marciano had the nickname ‘The Brockton Blockbuster’. Sweden’s first and only heavyweight champion, Ingemar Johansson, was nicknamed ‘Thor’ - a reference to his Scandinavian origins - whilst Sonny Liston was known as ‘The Bear’. As the sixties progressed, a non-so shy or modest fighter burst onto the scene after winning a gold medal in the 1960 Rome Olympics under the name of Cassius Marcellus Clay. After winning the world heavyweight title in 1964, he legally changed his name to Muhammad Ali. The nickname this young man chose for himself modestly, ‘The Greatest’, and in hindsight it is difficult to argue with this claim.

One man whose name was to become synonymous with Ali was Philadelphia heavyweight Joe Frazier, who took the nickname ‘Smokin’. His three fights with Ali are widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight fights of all time. Yet, the 1960’s and 1970’s nicknames were not the sole dominion of the big men. Philadelphia middleweight Bennie Briscoe became ‘Bad Bennie Briscoe’; Carlos Monzon, the Argentine world middleweight champion, was nicknamed ‘Escopeta’, which translates from Spanish as shotgun; and Cuban born - Mexican based Jose Napoles’ smooth boxing style earned him the nickname ‘Mantequilla’, or ‘butter’ in English. Not the most intimidating of nicknames but one that seemed to suit his style perfectly. One boxer and his nickname even became the subject of a Bob Dylan song, written about his miscarriage of justice using his nickname as its title. Eventually, thanks to a long campaign, Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter was released in 1985 after serving 19 years for a murder he did not commit. Denzel Washington starred in the 1999 film titled ‘The Hurricane’, which was about the life of Rubin Carter.

In the 1970’s a quartet of fighters emerged who would entertain so many boxing fans for the best part of the next twenty years. Marvin Hagler was so enamoured of his nickname, ‘Marvellous’, that in 1982 when TV commentators failed to refer to him as ‘Marvellous Marvin’ often enough, he went and had his name changed to it, legally! 1976 Olympic gold medallist Ray Leonard, who charmed the American public by strapping a photo of his childhood sweetheart Juanita on his boots, borrowed a nickname from his idol ‘Sugar Ray Robinson’ and became ‘Sugar Ray Leonard’, and his adversary Roberto Duran, the Panamanian four weight world champion, had the legendary nickname of ‘Manos De Piedra’ or ‘Hands of Stone’ in English. The final member of the quartet that made the 1970’s and 1980’s a memorable era for boxing was Detroit’s Thomas Hearns, who during his career earned two nicknames. The most famous one was of course ‘The Hitman’, but the one I prefer was the lesser used ‘Motor City Cobra’.

As the years progressed the quality of nicknames declined, although notable exceptions were the Jamaican Mike McCallum, whose wicked body punching earned him the nickname of ‘The Bodysnatcher’, and Bernard Hopkins of Philadelphia, who was nicknamed ‘The Executioner’ and used to enter the ring with a leather executioners hood over his face. Heavyweight legend Mike Tyson had the prefix ‘Iron’, whilst Texan welterweight Donald Curry was known as ‘The Cobra’. James Toney was known as ‘Lights Out’ – a fitting title, to which anyone who has seen his brutal knockout of Michael Nunn will testify. By the time we entered the early 1990’s, nicknames were becoming clichéd and less original, numerous Hitmans, and countless Cobras. Britain’s Chris Eubank plumped for ‘Simply the Best’, certainly an ill fitting nickname after his fights with Ray Close and Dan Sherry. The heavyweight division these days is testament to the sad decline of nicknames.

Recent nicknames of heavyweight champions and contenders have included ‘Dr Steelhammer’ and ‘Dr Ironfist’, belonging to Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko respectively; whilst former WBA heavyweight champions Nikolai Valuev and John Ruiz were known as ‘The Beast From The East’ and ‘The Quiet Man’. British heavyweights are not exempt from this current trend, with former Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison using the utterly dull ‘A-Force’, and the former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye using the obvious and empty ‘Hayemaker’. Maybe the decline in quality of fighters is linked to the decline in quality of nicknames – and perhaps somewhere there is a new champion ‘Master of Disaster, ‘Count of Monte Fisto’, ‘Italian Stallion’ waiting to take their place in the pantheon of great boxing nicknames. More recent Headlines from SecondsOut.com: 1000+ images about Ezzard Charles on Pinterest | Jersey, Days in and James toney Learn more at Uploaded by user This Day in Boxing History - December 12, 1951 - Charles KOs Oma at the Garden. Heavyweight Champion Ezzard Charles stops Lee Oma at Madison Square Garden.

Referee Ruby Goldstein calls a halt to the action in the 10th round. facebook - boxing hall of fame las vegas More Cincinnati All-Star: Dave Parker's legend continues to grow - Insider - Story Cincinnati All-Star: Dave Parker's legend continues to grow Pirates, Reds great big hit at All-Star FanFest 5:00 AM, Jul 14, 2015 7:22 AM, Jul 14, 2015 Pirates, Reds great talks about winning MVP award, first HR Derby and other highlights. WCPO Former All-Star talks about growing up in Cincinnati to play for his hometown major-league team. WCPO Previous Next CINCINNATI — Answering questions from fans in his hometown, Dave Parker was between a slider and a hard place. One man at All-Star Game FanFest wanted to know: If you go into the Hall of Fame, will you go in as a Pirate or a Red? Another fan asked: Do you think the 1989 World Champion A's could have beaten the Big Red Machine in a World Series?

You couldn't walk far at FanFest over the weekend without seeing Pirates fans wearing gold and black jerseys and Reds fans wearing red and white ones with many of both lettered PARKER on the back. If Oakland were within driving distance, there probably would have been A's fans there, too, with his name on their green and gold. After fans filled the room for Parker's Q&A, they seemed to share a quiet apprehension as they waited for him to arrive, probably fearing how their hero would appear in the early stages of Parkinson's. But once the 6-foot-5 Parker walked in — slowly, but with a steady gait — and flashed his big grin, they happily flashed back to those great years in the 1970s and 80s and broke into applause for one of the most exciting and formidable players of his era. Now, at 64, Parker was back at the plate — proverbially, that is — windmilling that big 36-ounce bat again as fans threw him questions high and tight and low and away. And Parker, who always said what was on his mind during his playing days, was swinging away.

Become a WCPO Insider to read Parker's answers, get insights about his playing career and find out how he's dealing with Parkinson's Disease. A Why are you charging for WCPO Insider? View all offers → There's more to the story when you become an Insider. WCPO Insider brings you in-depth local coverage and access to national news with a subscription to the Washington Post. Your money supports an exceptional team of journalists committed to shining a light on important issues in our region. We’re building a community of people who care about quality journalism. On top of premium coverage you get exclusive access to handpicked events, and savings on things you love to do. Find out more here . Cincinnati All-Star: Dave Parker's legend continues to grow Pirates, Reds great big hit at All-Star FanFest 5:00 AM, Jul 14, 2015 7:22 AM, Jul 14, 2015 Share Article Pirates, Reds great talks about winning MVP award, first HR Derby and other highlights. WCPO Former All-Star talks about growing up in Cincinnati to play for his hometown major-league team.

WCPO Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds swings at the pitch during a MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1986 season. (Mike Powell/Getty Images) Copyright Getty Images Previous Next CINCINNATI -- Answering questions from fans in his hometown, Dave Parker was between a slider and a hard place. One man at All-Star Game FanFest wanted to know: If you go into the Hall of Fame, will you go in as a Pirate or a Red? Another fan asked: Do you think the 1989 World Champion A's could have beaten the Big Red Machine in a World Series? You couldn't walk far at FanFest over the weekend without seeing Pirates fans wearing gold and black jerseys and Reds fans wearing red and white ones with many of both lettered PARKER on the back. If Oakland were within driving distance, there probably would have been A's fans there, too, with his name on their green and gold. Dave Parker swings for the Reds in 1986.

(Getty Images) After fans filled the room for Parker's Q&A, they seemed to share a quiet apprehension as they waited for him to arrive, probably fearing how their hero would appear in the early stages of Parkinson's. But once the 6-foot-5 Parker walked in -- slowly, but with a steady gait -- and flashed his big grin, they happily flashed back to those great years in the 1970s and 80s and broke into applause for one of the most exciting and formidable players of his era. Now, at 64, Parker was back at the plate -- proverbially, that is -- windmilling that big 36-ounce bat again as fans threw him questions high and tight and low and away. And Parker, who always said what was on his mind during his playing days, was swinging away. "If I ever go into the Hall of Fame, I'll go in as a Pirate because of Willie Stargell," Parker said. "I love (the Pirates and Reds) both, but Willie was family -- he was like a father and a brother at the same time.

I loved him to death." And what about the A's -- where the Reds traded Parker to get Jose Rijo before the '88 season -- beating the Big Red Machine? "Yes, I do think the '89 A's could probably have beaten the Big Red Machine. The A's had an All-Star lineup, too," Parker said. Surprisingly, perhaps, there were no gasps from Reds fans in the audience, just some respectful nods that seemed to acknowledge that whatever Dave Parker thought, he must have good reason to think it. Don't get the wrong idea. Parker swears allegiance to the Reds. When he was growing up on Poplar Street in the West End, one street away from Crosley Field, the Reds were his team, he said. "I used to play stickball against the Crosley Field wall," he said. "Frank Robinson was my idol. Vada Pinson … Then, when Pete (Rose) came up, yeah, the Reds were my group." WATCH Dave Parker talk about playing in the All-Star Game and growing up in Cincinnati in the video player above.

And he called coming back to Cincinnati as a free agent in 1985 and playing for Rose "a dream come true." "When things turned a little sour with the Pittsburgh fans, Mr. Howsam (President and GM Bob Howsam) asked me to come back, and I jumped at the chance," he said. Known as a great hitter and slugger, Parker also had one of the best throwing arms of any outfielder, and he showed it off in the 1979 All-Star Game in Seattle's Kingdome. A seven-time All-Star, Parker won the All-Star Game MVP award by throwing out two runners and preventing the American League from going ahead in the late innings. Parker gunned down Jim Rice at third in the seventh inning and Brian Downing at home in the eighth. He saved two runs and the National League won the game, 7-6, with a run in the top of the ninth. "That was the first time the All-Star Game MVP honored defensive play," Parker said. Facing Reds pitcher Mike LaCoss, Rice hit a lead-off high fly to shallow right field and Parker said he lost it in the roof.

"Joe Morgan was playing second and Pete was playing first, and they couldn't find it either," Parker said. "They had the roof decorated in red, white and blue ribbons. It bounced 10 yards behind me. I anticipated Rice would try to go to third, and I ran it down and came up throwing." In the eighth, Downing hit a leadoff single and was sacrificed to second. Later, Graig Nettles blooped a two-out single to right. Parker threw a strike to home on the fly. "Gary Carter made a great play to block Downing from the plate," Parker said. COMPARE Parker's and McGee's stats. Were it not for his involvement in the Pittsburgh cocaine trial and his admitted drug use in the early 80s, Parker would be in Cooperstown anyway. He has all the credentials, and now support for his election by a veterans committee may be growing. "I think he has a case," Northern Kentucky's Jim Bunning, a Hall of Famer himself and a regular voter on the veterans committees, told WCPO in a recent interview. Among his other highlights, Parker said, was the time he knocked the cover off the ball.

Think of the rain-ball scene in "The Natural." "It was a funny situation," he said. "Bob Forsch of the Cardinals was pitching, and I hit it up the middle. By the time it got to second base, it was like a tire having a blowout. I guess I really knocked the stuffing out of the ball." Parker said he might not have become a pro baseball player at all if he hadn't torn up his knee playing high school football. He probably would have taken a football scholarship to Ohio State instead of signing with the Pirates. "Football was my first love," Parker said. He played at Courter Tech, a Cincinnati Public School on the hillside where Cincinnati State now stands overlooking Interstate 75 at I-74. He signed with the Pirates for $6,500 and a new glove and quickly picked up a new nickname. "The Pirates trainer was a big fan of Ezzard Charles, the heavyweight boxing champion from Cincinnati, and he knew I was from Cincinnati," Parker said. Charles was known as "the Cincinnati Cobra" and that's how Parker became the Cobra. He also became one of 317 major-leaguers from the Cincinnati area .

Ten years after signing his first contract, Parker became the first $1 million-per-year player in any sport. "I liked being first in anything," Parker said. "I was glad to have had the opportunity to revolutionize salaries." But Parker also thinks today's salaries are over the top. "They're incredible. An agent asked me how much I thought I would be worth today and he said $25 million. Imagine what Willie Mays would make," Parker said. Parker doesn't draw attention to his Parkinson's but he doesn't deny it, either. He tries to play golf every day at Avon Fields, even if he doesn't feel up to playing a full round. "I'm doing good. I have good days, bad days," he said. "Sometimes I get a little tremor in my right hand, but just recently I saw something on TV where they got a new medicine now that may be a cure to Parkinson's, so I'm pulling for the medicine right now. "I have more good days than bad, so I'm happy and blessed to be able to say that." Parker knows his condition will worsen over time. He started the Dave Parker 39 Foundation (named for his uniform number) to do Parkinson's research.

"My goal is to help find a cure in my lifetime," he said. "In the meantime, I'm just playing the hand I was dealt." Copyright 2015 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ezzard Charles Autograph Boxing World Heavyweight Champion Cincinnati Cobra #2 | What's it worth Ezzard Charles Autograph Boxing World Heavyweight Champion Cincinnati Cobra #2 Ezzard Charles Autograph Boxing World Heavyweight Champion Cincinnati Cobra #2 Purchase on eBay: Platform: eBay US Humanityinneed777 store ezzard charles - autograph w/ photo boxing world heavyweight champion ezzard charles autograph he was born in lawrenceville, georgia, but is commonly thought of as a cincinnatian.[1] charles graduated from woodward high school in cincinnati where he was already becoming a well-known fighter.[2]known as the cincinnati cobra, charles fought many notable opponents in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, eventually winning a championship in the latter.

Although he never won the light heavyweight title, the ring magazine has rated him as the greatest light heavyweight of all time.[3]ezzard charles started his career as a featherweight in the amateurs, where he had a record of 42-0. In 1938, he won the diamond belt Show more Ezzard Charles | African American Resources | Cincinnati History Library and Archives Ezzard Charles 1921-1975 Ezzard Charles is Cincinnati’s only World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. He was born in Georgia in 1921 but came to Cincinnati at the age of nine to live with his grandmother and great-grandmother in the West End. He started his amateur boxing career in his teen years and won 42 amateur fights as a welterweight and a middleweight. In 1939 he won the Amateur Athletic Union national middleweight title. He graduated from Woodward High School in 1942. Charles began his professional boxing career in March 1940 and fought 38 matches over the next three years. He won 33, lost four and had one draw. Twenty-one of his 33 victories were by knockouts.

Twenty-two of his 38 matches were held in Cincinnati. Charles served in the military in 1944 and 1945. In February 1946 Charles once again was back in the ring, now in the light heavyweight division. General Photograph Collection Cincinnati History Library and Archives, Cincinnati Museum Center In 1949 Charles moved up to the heavyweight division. On June 22, 1949 he defeated Jersey Joe Walcott to win the National Boxing Association championship. On September 28, 1950 he won a 15-round decision over Joe Louis and was proclaimed the world heavyweight champion. He successfully defended his title in three matches in 1951 but then lost his crown to Walcott in a re-match on July 18. From February 18, 1946 to July 18, 1951, Charles fought 42 matches and lost only twice. Out of his 40 victories in these years, he won 24 by knockouts. Charles continued to box until 1959.

From October 1951 through October 1956, he won 19 matches and lost 15. Ten of his victories were by KOs but he was also knocked out three times. In 1957 Charles retired from boxing only to return to fight six more times in 1958 and 1959. He lost four of his last six matches, two of those by KOs. Over the course of his professional boxing career, Ezzard Charles had 122 bouts with 96 wins, 25 losses and one draw. Charles tried several jobs after the end of his boxing days. He was a safety inspector for the State of Ohio and then a bouncer at a Northern Kentucky nightclub. He tried professional wrestling using the name "Cincinnati Cobra." He moved to Chicago and in 1967 was working for Youth Welfare. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and died in 1975. In 1976 Cincinnati recognized Ezzard Charles by changing Lincoln Park Drive to Ezzard Charles Drive. In 1949 when he won the heavyweight championship, Charles lived at 929 Lincoln Park Drive.

In 1990 Ezzard Charles was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. To learn more about Ezzard Charles, consult the following resources: The Way We Were: The Magnificent Loser Article by Bob McKay in Cincinnati Magazine, October 1977, Vol. 11, No. 1, pages 83‑89. General f977.14 C574cc Ezzard Charles' boxing career and his fight to gain respect are covered in the article in Cincinnati Magazine. View catalog record Request slip 100 Who Made a Difference: Greater Cincinnatians Who Made a Mark on the 20th Century By Barry M. Horstman General f920.07714 H819 R.R. Barry M. Horstman gives a two-page overview of Charles' life in this 1999 book.

View catalog record Request slip By the Cincinnati Enquirer Pamphlets 920.0092 C574 This pamphlet includes a brief briographical sketch on Ezzard Charles, the "Cincinnati Cobra." View catalog record Request slip Sources Used for Biographical Sketch: 100 Who Made a Difference, General f920.07714 H819 R.R., Cincinnati History Library and Archives, Cincinnati Museum Center. Profiles in Black History, Pamphlets 920.0092 C574, Cincinnati History Library and Archives, Cincinnati Museum Center. McKay, Bob. "The Way We Were: The Magnificent Loser," Cincinnati Magazine, October 1977, Vol. 11, No. 1, p. 83‑89. General f977.14 C574cc. Cincinnati History Library and Archives, Cincinnati Museum Center. Newspaper clipping files, Cincinnati History Library and Archives, Cincinnati Museum Center.

Question: Which heavyweight boxing champion was known as The Cincinnati Cobra'?
Answer: Ezzard Charles